1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an engine starting device provided with a hot starting mechanism and a saddle-type traveling vehicle provided with the engine starting device.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional engine starting device includes an intake pipe for introducing an air-fuel mixture to an engine, an auxiliary-air introducing channel for introducing auxiliary-air to the intake pipe, and an auxiliary-air control valve for varying the amount of auxiliary-air introduced to the intake pipe. The engine starting device is adapted to control the air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture introduced into the engine by varying the amount of auxiliary-air introduced. Accordingly, the air-fuel ratio at the time of a hot start in a fuel injection internal combustion engine is controlled.
The conventional engine starting device is adapted in such a manner that the auxiliary-air introducing channel is closed when the engine stops and the auxiliary-air introducing channel is opened when the engine rotates. Hence, there arises a problem that the engine in a warmed state cannot be restarted quickly since the auxiliary-air introducing channel is in a closed state when the engine is stopped during travel.
When the starting device does not have a battery, electric power cannot be supplied to a control circuit for controlling the auxiliary-air control valve until a stable rotation of the engine at a predetermined rotary speed is achieved. For example, in the case of a motorcycle for off-road racing, the motorcycle does not have a battery, but is provided with a kick-start mechanism. Therefore, the auxiliary-air introducing channel cannot be opened when restarting the engine, and hence a problem arises in that the engine cannot be restarted even when the engine is warm.
In the motorcycle having the starting device of this type, the auxiliary-air introducing channel which can be opened and closed manually is provided, and hence the opening and closing operation of the auxiliary-air introducing channel has to be done manually when the engine has stopped. Therefore, when the engine stops during racing, it is difficult to quickly restart the engine. In addition, since the opening and closing operation of the auxiliary-air introducing channel has to be done manually, a problem occurs that the operator forgets to close the auxiliary-air introducing channel after restarting and hence the air-fuel mixture of a low concentration is supplied to the engine after restarting as well, which impairs sufficient demonstration of the engine performance.
Accordingly, it is an advantage of the present invention to provide an engine starting device and a motorcycle in which an engine can be restarted quickly and reliably when restarting the engine which has stopped during travel, irrespective of the present or the absence of a battery. This advantage is achieved by a combination of characteristics stated in the independent claims. Dependent claims define further advantageous embodiments of the present invention.